MERRILLVILLE — The Lake County Coroner has identified the man who died last week after veering off the road and driving his car into someone's home.

Ralph Sloan, 77, of Gary, was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. Thursday at Methodist Hospitals Southlake Campus in Merrillville, according to a coroner's news release.

Police initially said they believed the elderly man may have suffered a serious medical episode, but his cause and manner of death are pending toxicology, according to Chief Deputy Coroner Scott Sefton.

Merrillville Police Chief Joe Petruch said the crash occurred a little after 2 p.m. Thursday near 83rd Lane and Marshall Place in a quiet subdivision.

The man went off the road before driving his red sports utility vehicle through a white fence and then striking the home, which appeared to sustain minimal damage.

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Lauren covers breaking news, crime and courts for The Times. She previously worked at The Herald-News in Joliet covering government, public policy, and the region’s heroin epidemic. She holds a master’s degree in Public Affairs Reporting.

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